Cavs mature into contenders Last year's youth movement expected to begin paying off South Carroll 1993 high school volleyball preview

September 10, 1993|By Glenn P. Graham | Glenn P. Graham,Staff Writer

The names are basically the same at South Carroll, but with a year of experience behind them, the Cavaliers are looking to win a lot more matches this fall.

Coach Debbie Barnes went with a youth movement last year, relying on six juniors and three sophomores. Despite their 4-11 record, the Cavaliers stayed in most matches and improved as the season went along.

"We're not going to be a powerhouse or anything like that, but I think we'll be very competitive and win our share of games this year," Barnes said.

"The confidence level has to stay high and winning some matches early on would help."

The Cavaliers won't overwhelm anyone with their height. They are talented up front, but only three players -- junior Nicole Spencer and seniors Sarah South and Amy Larrick -- are over 5 feet 9. Instead, they will rely on a balanced attack with a lot of scrappy play in back.

"We don't have a lot of height, but enough to work with. We have some girls in back who are very quick and that will help balance things out," Barnes said.

Spencer, a second-team All-County selection last year, is recovering from knee surgery after going down in the middle of the basketball season last winter. Originally not expected to be ready for volleyball, she's way ahead of her rehabilitation schedule and should make a contribution.

"She's not at 100 percent yet, but has worked very hard to get back to where she is and will definitely be a factor. We'll pretty much use her just on the front line for now," Barnes said.

"Both her and Sarah South look pretty good up front. Both have good ball sense and it's just a matter of confidence."

Junior Melissa Gettemy had a solid sophomore season in 1992 and brings a lot of versatility to the Cavaliers lineup.

"She does everything so well. She can hit and also set and brings a lot of enthusiasm to the court," said Barnes.